


Parabellum

by MarcellusMiro66



Category: Trolls (Movies 2016 2020), Trolls: The Beat Goes On (Cartoon)
Genre: Abuse, Action, Action/Adventure, Adventure, Alternate Timelines, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Assassins & Hitmen, Alternate Universe - Bounty Hunters, Alternate Universe - Superheroes/Superpowers, Assassins & Hitmen, Blood, Blood and Gore, Blood and Injury, Blood and Violence, Bounty Hunters, Bows & Arrows, Caper Fic, Clint Barton's Bow & Arrows, Continental Hotel (John Wick), Depression, Developing Relationship, Dimension Travel, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Manipulation, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Ensemble Cast, Epic, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Forced Bonding, Forced Pregnancy, Forced Relationship, Friendship/Love, Gore, Graphic Description, Gun Violence, Gunplay, Guns, Gunshot Wounds, Heist, Humor, Justice, Knifeplay, Knives, Mild Gore, Rape/Non-con Elements, Rating: NC17, Rating: PG13, Ratings: R, Revenge, Superheroes, Swordfighting, Swordplay, Swords, Vigilantism, Violence, War, Worldbuilding
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-17
Updated: 2020-10-17
Packaged: 2021-03-09 02:55:33
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 17,400
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27057568
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MarcellusMiro66/pseuds/MarcellusMiro66
Summary: "Si vis pacem, para bellum..."Set during the events ofHeavy Metal, the political tensions among the six primary Troll Kingdoms are on the rise following Queen Barb's World Tour, Branch's abuse of her is becoming increasingly worser and worser by the day, and Poppy finds herself low on allies. However, the tides of war are changed when Branch's adoptive brother reenters his life a full 20 years after their separation, demanding that he answer before therealTroll Council. When the extraction takes a violent turn, Branch's adoptive brother must take action to prevent an all-out war, even if those actions have consequences.
Relationships: Queen Barb/Riff (Trolls), Sid Fret/Queen Poppy
Kudos: 6





	Parabellum

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Heavy Metal](https://archiveofourown.org/works/23863957) by [Kurayamin](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kurayamin/pseuds/Kurayamin). 



> This is merely a reimagining of _**Heavy Metal**_ and _not_ a word-for-word plagiarization. In fact, Kurayamin gave me permission to write stories based on her own as long as I adhere to certain rules and guidelines. Just to clarify, Branch not only has an adoptive brother in this timeline, but also an adoptive _family_ as well, who took him in after the death of Grandma Rosiepuff. If this were a movie, it would be categorized as an action/adventure epic with action sequences and graphic violence similar to the _**John Wick**_ franchise, the _**Captain America**_ trilogy, the _**Netflix MCU**_ series (particularly _**Daredevil**_ , _**Jessica Jones**_ , and _**The Punisher**_ ), _**Extraction**_ , _**The Old Guard**_ , and _**Triple Frontier**_.
> 
> Also, Branch, his supporters, and possibly Carol will suffer a little bit more in this story, so reader discretion is advised.

**_"What the hell is wrong with you Barb! I thought we were friends! When everyone told me that you were a bad person, that you were evil, I defended you! I gave you a benefit of a doubt! Was it all a trick, Barb? Did you pretend to be my friend so you could get to Branch? You knew, you had to know that I loved him! We did the whole "Rainbow Connection" thing in front of you!"_ **

_. . ._

**_"Poppy, wait! Please don't leave me!"_ **

_. . ._

**_"What did you do to make them not like you?"_ **

_. . ._

**_"Be born, I guess?"_ **

_. . ._

**_"But you must have done something!"_ **

_. . ._

**_"I'm sorry Queen Poppy. I know you want to think the best of everyone or whatever. But the other trolls...they hate us for existing. They don't need any other reason to hurt us. Um, do you know where Barb is? I haven't seen her since we got here and I'm really worried and stuff."_ **

_. . ._

**_"That Troll-stealing bitch is playing "Happy Family" with my former boyfriend in his bunker."_ **

_. . ._

**_"You mean you left her with that fucking rapist?!"_ **

_. . ._

**_"Rapist? Is that what Barb told you? Well I have news for you Riff, Branch may be an asshole sometimes, but he would never do something like that!"_ **

_. . ._

**_"I guess you don't know him like you thought you did! Because that's what he did to my best friend!"_ **

_. . ._

**_"Barb is a liar Riff! Barb used me to get to Branch! That's all she wanted!"_ **

_. . ._

**_"You don't know anything! You weren't there when Barb was brought to the hospital. You... You didn't see how badly she was ripped open down there or how she still wakes up screaming at night. You never bothered to check up on her, not really. You didn't see how she breaks into a sweat now when a male came too close, or how she breaks down and cries when she thinks no one's around to hear. I was. Did you even bother to talk to her before you judged her, or did you just run off and leave her alone with that monster?"_ **

_. . ._

**_"That's what I figured... I... I thought you were different, Queen Poppy..."_ **

The Pop Troll's eyes narrowed with every sentence penned. He couldn't believe this. After everything that's happened, Branch still fell to the dark side.

This Troll was named James, and he belonged to the music of Pop. James was one of the special and unique Trolls because he never had any reservations about the different kinds of music, let alone the genre he was born in. He had an accepting and open-minded demeanor, but he also had a good sense of judgment regarding certain kinds of Trolls. In short, he was nice, but not naive. Never naive. However, never naive didn't necessarily mean cynical. When he was younger, his own family attempted to escape the captivity the Bergens had sentenced upon them, but only one of the members was killed. Some of the Pop Trolls he was with managed to escape, but he was seperated from the others led by King Peppy, including his older brother. As a result, he had to forge a new path on his own with his remaining brothers and the additional Pop Trolls. He meant to find him when the Bergens had been dealt with, but fate had other ideas.

It turns out...they weren't the only kind of Trolls in the world. What's more? These Trolls, including those who became known as Pop, were defined by their music. There were six primary genres that made up the different Trolls: Pop, Funk, Classical, Techno, Country, and Rock. Nobody knew what to expect from them, so the de facto leaders of the escaped group (the brothers' uncle and aunt) gathered a group of well-educated Trolls to form a council that studied the five tribes. They had nothing much to work with and build upon, though, so they formed another group of well-trained Trolls to go beyond the limits of their village and gather information. The minimum was ten Trolls (five males and five females) and they were given a Hug Time Bracelet to give comfort and find each other should they stray from the path. Wishing to find his lost brother, James snuck out the night they left and stowed away on their makeshift carriage. Embarking around the Kingdom, from first Techno Reef (Techno) to Symphonyville (Classical) next, it wasn't until they reached Lonesome Flats (Country) that James's cover was exposed, but the group decided to let it slide since they were too far to turn back and he displayed detailed notes of his own. During their time in Vibe City (Funk), King Quincy and Queen Essence had earned the sympathy of the 10-member Pop Group who wished for nothing but the safe return of their second son, who was snatched away as an egg. When they prepared to leave, James promised the King and Queen that he would inform them if he saw their son again.

The final destination of their journey, Volcano Rock City (Rock), was far removed from the concept of peace and tranquility; instead, the homeland of Rock opted for a relentless assault of bold, brash, and bombastic blasts of bedlam, passion-fueled rage pulsing through their veins. It horrified, confused, and allured those who were of Pop descent, but none more so than young James, who felt compelled to "rock and roll" with these strange Trolls. In fact, Rock was where James met Lucy. A young Rock Troll with a spunky attitude and traumatic past, Lucy was born and bred in her music at a time when it was held in disfavor. She was bullied by her peers and neglected by her parents for the duration of her childhood, but she didn't knew when to stay down. Taking up fighting lessons and guitar playing, she learned from the best how to physically, psychologically, and verbally shame those who wronged, doubted, and beated her at her lowest. She never gave up afterwards... interestingly much like himself.

James and Lucy were children when they first met, but their kindhearted and ultimately altruistic behavior was probably the primary reason why they hit it off so well. The latter did show hesitation when the former asked her to come back with him, but it eventually reverted to eagerness when it occurred to her that she never heard of any of the tribes' other music before, seeing her migration as a chance to explore more. His parents were happy to introduce a new member or two in their community, but his brothers needed more convincing. Over time, they came to accept her as an official member of not just the community, but their family, even resorting to playful teases when the blossoming relationship between her and their brother was made aware.

They never did find the other Pop Trolls, though, so they never found their brother. On the brighter side, the community grew even larger when groups of different Trolls arrived over the years. Aside from the five primary tribes, there were other kinds of subgenres ranging from Smooth Jazz and Reggaeton to K-Pop and Yodelers, who eventually migrated from their homes for various reasons. James's parents established a tight-knit distract that drew inspiration (specifically in its architecture and aesthetic) from the other Trolls. They believed that they achieved some semblance of solitude and that the Bergens would never find them now.

Little did they know, the Bergens were now the least of their problems.

James placed down on the coffee table the letter written by an absolutely furious Trollex, whom he understood was the new King of the Techno Trolls. Needless to say, his method of ruling the kingdom couldn't be more different from the former Governess, who was open-minded and understanding towards the problems she faced. The letter disclosed his unbridled rage towards the Pop Nation, who had supposedly bred and captured the "war criminal" known as Queen Barb when Queen Poppy had argued so passionately against any of the other kingdoms doing just that during the negotiations after the String War. From what he understood as well, Poppy was the daughter of former Pop King Peppy and Pop Queen Peony and Barb was the daughter was former Rock King Thrash. It warmed his heart to know the two biggest rivals in the String War had grown to become friends or, at the very least, acknowledgable allies. What he read next, however, made his stomach churn.

The rest of the document, while short and to the point, saw King Trollex declare an utterly unpleasing ultimatum: either Queen Poppy send the Queen Barb over to be bred by him after she'd laid her egg in order to keep the balance between the kingdoms...or he'd come and get the both of them.

Despite his well-known kindhearted and gentlemanly personality, James was one of those Trolls who understood far too well that nothing would set off a male's roaring rampage of revenge than his love for his family.

Well, that, or his pet dog.

Standing from the table and walking toward his cabinet, James opened it up to reveal an assortment of different weapons. Ranging from pistols, shotguns, and rifles to blades, bows, and grenade launchers, his arsenal showed e _xactly_ what kind of Troll James was not trying to be but needed to be. His choice of selected firearms included but not limited to a pair of SIG-Sauer P226R pistols; a SIG-Sauer P229R; a 3rd Generation Glock 17 and Glock 19; a Beretta 92FS; a customized Colt MK IV Series 80; a Para 1911 G.I. Expert; a Springfield Armory 1911 Loaded MC Operator; a blued Walther PPK/S; a Walther P99 with an olive frame; a Heckler & Koch P30; a chrome Jericho 941 R; a Remington 870 Police Magnum Riot; a Remington 870 Field Gun; a Remington 870 MCS (Regular and Masterkey); a Mossberg 500 Persuader; a Mossberg 500 Cruiser with ATI Halo accessories; a Mossberg 500 with Knoxx Sidewinder Kit attachments; a standard Mossberg 590 with 5-round magazine tube and speedfeed stock; a Mossberg 590M; a 12 Gauge Double Barreled Shotgun; a Winchester Model 1200/1300 Defender with a pistol grip; a Colt Law Enforcement Carbine; a M4A1 Carbine SOPMOD with Aimpoint CompM2 reflex optic, Knight's Armament RAS railed handguard, and RIS vertical forward grip; another M4A1 Carbine with an EOTech 552.A65 Holographic sight, SureFire M951XM05 tactical light, and underbarrel M203 Grenade Launcher; a Daniel Defense M4A1 with the Daniel Defense RIS II FSP rail forearm, Magpul PMAG, an ElcanSpecterDR 1-4x Scope (SU-230/PVS), and an Advanced Target Pointer Illuminator Aiming Light (ATPIAL AN/PEQ-15); a Noveske Rifleworks Diplomat with a M68 Aimpoint red dot scope, side-mounted Surefire M900 flashlight, and Vltor VIS upper; a Heckler & Koch HK416; a Heckler & Koch G36C; a Remington 700 (Regular, PSS, and AICS); a Barrett Model 98B/MRAD; a Nemesis Arms Vanquish; a Desert Tactical Arms Stealth Recon Scout; a FN M249 SAW Paratrooper; and a M79 Grenade Launcher among others. In addition, he also packed a Gerber Mark II Combat Knife; a pair of Gerber Yari II Tanto; a Benchmade SOCP Dagger; a ruglar bayonet knife; two recurve bows; a compound bow; a Busse Combat Knife with a spear-pointed blade, a Katana, a Wakizashi, and numerous Shuriken received from the K-Pop Trolls; a quartet of collapsible metal batons; a sextet of armored gauntlets; and finally, a concave, disc-shaped shield that his father would carry into battle on the offensive and the defensive.

Excessive?

Yes.

Overkill?

Absolutely.

Neccesary?

Positive.

Carefully packing the weapons into two black duffel bags, James went to his closet to retrieve his father's former battle uniform: a navy blue, utilitarian-style, black-ops suit with light armor, brown leather gloves, dark grey armguards, a black hood with cape, a black domino mask, and a Kevlar-based ballistic component. He and his father always never understood what the cape's practical usage was to be, seeing that he wasn't exactly the superhero type. He understood better now.

Slipping into the costume, James gazed at his reflection in the mirror. A spitting image of his father was quite possibly the best way to describe himself, even though he would never admit it. In the eyes of his five-year-old self, his father was the living embodiment of honor, integrity, admiration, kindness, generosity, and loyalty, giving up his life several times so that his fellow soldiers and loved ones would live to see another day. Whenever he led the battles, he always put himself and only himself first. He was an absolute ace, a deserving defender, a pure paragon. How was _he_ supposed to live up to _his_ example?

_**"You don't have to, kiddo,"** James's father would often say on a bad day, **"Legacy is defined by our own choices, not anyone else's. You don't have to necessarily follow in the footsteps of your hero, but rather forge your own path as you go. You must remember, however, that a good heart is instrumental in a great future. Bad becomes worse; good becomes great. The strongest man who knows power for all his life will lose respect for that power, while the weakest man will know the value of strength...and compassion..."**_

_At least, that's what James thought his father would often say on a bad day..._

"You know, I like the superhero get-up."

James's head shot up as he turned toward the hallway entry, the hinges of which was leaned against by a Rock Troll with red hair stylized up into a spiked peak, muddy green eyes, muddy grey skin, single hoop earrings on both ears, a black leather jacket above a matching leotard, leather fingerless gloves, and fishnet stockings.

"It's growing on me."

James smiled at the compliment, "Hello, darling. To what do I owe the pleasure? Are you..."

"No," Lucy chuckled mirthly as she shook her head, "Not yet, sweetie. We're still waiting. I was going to say...I'm going with you, no matter what you say or what you do."

"I don't even have to ask."

"No, you don't. So...do we need to get the team together?"

"Possibly."

"Is the mission difficult?"

"Impossible."

"And who are we supposed to be fighting?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

"Try me."

_. . ._

"We're fighting my brother."

_. . ._

"Which one? The Classical One, The Country One, The Orchestral Pop One?"

"The _Regular_ Pop One."

"He's alive?"

"Alive and not well."

"Well, this is gonna be one hell of a reunion."

"Tell me about it."

James and Lucy gently butted their heads together, resting them against each other for a moment.

"Lucy, I know this may seem dire, but..."

"James, if you're about to tell me to look on the bright side... I'm about to smack you in the back of your head with a peanut butter sandwich."

"Yes, ma'am."

"That's much better. Let's just stay here...for a moment."

"Only a moment..."

"Yeah. Sure..."

"And then back to work..."

* * *

Will was a Rock Troll much like Lucy and one of the few people saw her for who she was. He had pitch black hair styled into a mohawk fade, muted green eyes, purple-grey skin, a black leather biker jacket, black boots, black gloves, and a spiked collar with matching bracelets. He wanted no trouble tonight, he was waiting for his date.

"Hello, honey."

And here she was now. Arriving was a Pop Rock Troll with light brown hair, light green eyes, a dark red leather trench coat with matching corset, black leather pants, and a black choker necklace with a ruby red gemstone pendant.

"Hey, Maria. What took you?"

"I was busy, Marie took a seat across from him, "Molly had issues with You-Know-Who again."

Will opened his mouth to joke, but she shushed him before he could.

"Not _that_ You-Know-Who," Marie chuckled.

"Sorry, force of habit," Will shrugged, "Molly really needs to get out of the house more."

"Yes, but you really can't blame her. She believes that staying inside the house helps her character."

"For what?"

"Her photography and modeling. I really don't see the appeal of her job."

"I'm sure the feeling's mutual for her when it comes to your clothing line."

"I see we just missed the first few minutes of our double date."

Will and Marie turned to face James and Lucy approaching them.

The former perked up with a smile, the latter slumped down with a frown.

"James! Lucy!" Marie hugged the both of them, "How are you two? What are you even doing here?"

"You know, besides dropping by uninvited," Will stood up as well as he acknowledged his oldest friend with a hug of his own.

"Don't think this happened on purpose, Will," Lucy chuckled as she returned the hug.

"Did it?"

"Yes, actually, but don't call me out on that."

"You called us here?" Marie turned to James for an answer.

"Yeah," James guiltily nodded his head, "and the reason for doing so is not good."

Will's attention was grabbed almost immediately, "What do you mean? What's going on?"

"I take it you two got the message, too?"

Will and Marie turned around to find a quartet of Trolls approaching them with fascinated expressions. The first was a green-eyed, brown-haired male Country Troll with beige skin who wore a white long-sleeve collared shirt (the sleeves themselves folded up to just below his elbows) with a dark brown basic five-button leather vest atop, medium brown frontier pants, a light brown Gambler Hat, a red neckerchief, and a pair of black pistols holstered against each side of his waist. The second was a brown-eyed, red-and-white striped male Funk Troll with a goatee and gapped teeth who wore absolutely nothing but a leather coat and black shades. The third was a hazel-eyed, red-haired female Orchestral Pop Troll with blue skin who wore a black leather jacket above a magenta dress with a black sash belt around her waist; she seemed more interested in a pocket-sized rectangular device built from the Funk Troll's technology rather than the actual meeting. The fourth and final was a black-eyed, green-haired female K-Pop Troll with glossy chrome skin and sapphire blue eye coloring who wore a black jacket, a blue vest, and a red scarf.

Will approached the Country Troll, the one who spoke first, and smirked, "And unfortunately you did too, Josh."

Josh returned it by pulling him into a hug and lifting him high into the air, laughing heartily all the way. When he lowered Will down, he shook his head and attempted to catch his breath.

"What's the matter? Out of breath?" Will commented.

"Obviously. Damn, you got fat, sucker."

"Excuse me, _I_ got fat? What did _you_ do, eat one of your kids?"

"Bitch please, I look sexy."

" _Masculine_ , maybe," Marie hugged him as a greeting, "Hi, Josh. How's Kat?"

"Oh, she's doing well. We actually went fishing a few weekends ago as part of a bonding process. She still likes Uncle Frank a little more than me, though."

"I don't blame her," The Orchestral Pop Troll typed on her device and took a self-picture of herself as she took a jab at Josh's likability in a Scottish-like accent.

"Well, you're not exactly likable yourself, Amy," The K-Pop took a few jabs of Amy's own in response, "You shoot, stab, and beat the absolute hell out of almost everyone we've met because you want a good fight."

"So what?" Amy defended herself, "Shooting, stabbing, and beating the absolute shit out of almost everyone we meet is essentially my job. For bonus points, those people ended up being involved in shady business and/or practices. You just be lucky I'm on _your_ side instead of _theirs_ , Tessa..."

 _"我肯定这很让人放心..._ _"_ Tessa muttered indignantly under her breath as Amy shot her a dirty look.

"Can we focus, please?" The Funk Troll approached James as he shook his hand, "Hey, James. Why did you really call us here tonight?"

"Because we have a job to do, Sam."

The group turned to find a quintet of Pop Trolls approaching them with forlorn expressions. The first was a green-skinned male with blue eyes, black hair and a black tailcoat jacket with golden borders. The second was a turquoise-skinned female with hazel eyes, blonde hair, and a red jacket above a blue dress. The third was a grey-skinned male with brown eyes, blue-black hair, a dark grey overcoat above a navy blue business suit with necktie, matching trousers, and a black eyepatch above his left eye. The fourth was a pink-skinned female with green eyes, purple hair, a blue jacket with matching gloves above a white dress, and a white choker necklace with a kite amethyst gemstone. The fifth and final was a muddy grey-skinned female with blue eyes, white hair, black eye coloring, a dark brown law enforcement jacket, a silver leather right arm brace, and a golden prosthetic left arm.

"Great, this fool again," Sam muttered indignantly under his breath toward the first Troll much like Tessa did to Amy.

"Believe me, Sam," The first Pop Troll raised his hands in innocence as he approached, "I don't want to be here as much as you."

"Neither do I," The fourth Troll huffed, "but it's like he said; we have a job to do."

"Jess. Where's Matt and Frank?" Lucy approached with James by his side.

"It's nice to see you too, Luz. They're considering joining the battle."

"What battle?" Will exchanged fearful glances with James and Jess.

"You wouldn't believe us if we told you," Lucy bit her bottom lip.

"Try us."

"Branch is alive."

_. . ._

A shocked and uneasy silence shouldn't have be easy to broken after a few moments of it. But nonetheless, when there was a will, Amy will find a way.

"No **_fucking_** way."

"The hell he is," The third Troll scoffed as he crossed his arms, "Just when I was coming to terms with his death..."

The first Troll attempted to reassure his younger brother, "What happened was not your fault, Thomas."

"I choose to believe that it was, Robert," Thomas shook his head.

"It doesn't matter," The second Troll interjected, "Is it true? Branch is alive?"

"Alive and not well, Lena," Lucy sighed.

"What do you mean? Is he...a criminal?"

"No," James shook his head, "He's far worse."

Will cursed under his breath, Marie clamped a hand over her mouth in horror, Josh lifted his hat and placed it over his heart, and the others attempted to process this newly-fed information provided by two of their trusted friends. Being the Bounty Hunter of the group, one would think that Amy would eagerly jump in and diffuse the tension by comically asking what the prize money's amount was. Surprisingly enough, though, she didn't.

"So what then? We can't just bring him in on our own...can we?"

"We have to," James asserted, "He's a close friend of ours."

 _"Yours,"_ Tessa corrected, "Not _ours_. Half of us never knew him."

"And the other half _did_ ," Josh shot back.

"Regardless," Sam shot down them both, "What's the plan after that? And how do we know Branch's not too far gone just yet?"

"We don't..." James shook his head, "...just yet."

"We have to go where he is and find out for ourselves," Lucy concurred.

"Another thing," Jess crossed her arms, "How do you know where he even is?"

"I have an informant working on the inside out," James replied.

"Outside in," Lucy added.

Sam nodded in understanding, "Wherever we're going, it's going to be a bloodbath. And where there's a bloodbath, we need weapons."

"James already got that covered."

"Really? I never thought..."

"Yeah. Neither did I."

"What's the play?"

"We find Branch," The fifth Troll maintained, "We bring him home, see him to justice...and cut down any Troll in our path. I just hope it doesn't come down to that part."

"And when it does..." James reassured, "you know what to do, Rachel."

Rachel glanced down ruefully as her prosthetic left arm and sighed in resignation, "Don't we all?"

* * *

"This is not a good idea, Cybil."

Meadow Spriggs was seated in the pod of Ripley Wisp, right beside a magenta Techno Troll named Bliss Marina and a pink-and-purple Funk Troll named Stella. She listened to Ripley Wisp voice her opinion on Cybil's grand plan.

"It is not supposed to be, Miss Ripley."

"And don't mistake my shocked tone as the good kind."

"I never expected it to be anything but."

"Excuse me, Miss Cybil?" Stella raised her hand, "I understand the severity of the situation at hand, I most sincerely do. But...why must you call upon me and Miss Bliss?"

"Because this mission require the uttermost secrecy imaginable, we need outside sources."

"A fair argument," Bliss shrugged, "But let me clarify Stella's question...why us? And don't say it's partially because of our personal connection to King Trollex, King Quincy, and Queen Essence."

"Okay. It is _primarily_ because of your personal connection to King Trollex, King Quincy, and Queen Essence."

_. . ._

"Damn it."

"I still don't understand," Ripley muttered.

"Which part?"

"The entire point of this mission. We're risking our lives to somebody we don't even know and everybody most definitely hates."

"Regardless, Queen Barb does not deserve this fate. From what I could see, hear, and witness, Branch has destroyed any and all hints of kindheartedness within her, leaving the badly battered and broken soul she is."

Meadow gave her words a thought before she spoke up, unintentionally interrupting an about-to-speak Ripley.

"I get it, but why us? We're not exactly the Trolls with...a very particular set of skills."

"I know, Miss Meadow. That is which is why we are recruiting the ones who do."

"Wait, what?" Ripley glanced at Cybil, "So you recruited us so we can recruit the ones who are capable of performing this mission?"

"The more direct and adept at combat situations, to be specific. That does not mean that you will not need the training either."

"Hmm..." Ripley gave her words a thought much like Meadow before her and nodded in understanding, "Okay then."

"Wait, you're okay with this now?" Bliss shot her a raised eyebrow at the Sporty Troll.

"If it involves training and asskicking, I'm all in."

"Very well. Miss Stella? Miss Bliss?"

Cybil, Meadow, and Ripley turned to Bliss and Stella, whose answers were decided upon an exchanged glance and sigh of resignation.

"I guess we're in."

"I guess we are."

Cybil nodded and turned to a seemingly oblivious Gia Grooves, who focused more on her paperwork and less on the meeting she attended.

"Gia?"

"Hmm?"

"Are you in...or are you out?"

"Well... Any friend of Poppy and Cooper is a friend of mine, but I can't help but feel that this is a seriously major contractual obligation that was a long time coming. I won't and don't condone any form of killing during this mission of ours."

"But any form of additional violence like face-smashing and bone-breaking is okay?" Ripley smirked.

_. . ._

"Yeah, sure. Fine."

"Alright, alright, alright!"

Cybil pulled out a series of case files and handed them over to the five girls.

"These are all the Trolls I want you all to find."

Meadow received a Country Troll with a white ten-gallon hat, a brown vest, denim dungarees, and hoof-like shoes; his hair was styled down into sideburns. Ripley received a K-Pop Troll with blue hair, green eye coloring, and a purple nose. Stella received a trio of sisters who looked as if they belonged to the Reggaeton Gang except they wore black suit jackets with shoulder epaulettes, white long-sleeve button-down shirts with red neckties, black dress trousers, black leather brogues, and red sombreros. Bliss received a quartet of male Trolls around the age of Branch (if not slightly older); they all wore black suit jackets with matching trousers, white long-sleeve button-down shirts with red vests, black tap shoes with matching bowties, and straw boating hats with red bands. Gia, meanwhile, received a particular asset who looked like she belonged to the Yodeler Trolls; she wore a close-fitting bodice featuring a low neckline, a blouse worn under the bodice, a wide high-waisted skirt, and an apron.

"These Trolls look weird."

"Weird, yes...but oddly unique."

"Why do I have to get stuck with this shiny one?" Ripley complained, "She reminds me too much of Guy Diamond."

"I'm sure she does. Unless you wish to switch with a much more intimidating opponent."

_. . ._

"Um... No."

"Didn't think so."

"Who did you get?"

"I can tell neither a lie, Miss Bliss," Cybil merely replied, "nor the truth at this moment in time. That comes later."

"Well," Stella glanced down at her file, "I got the...Mariachi Sisters?"

Upon taking a better look at Stella's target, Ripley was appalled. "Hey! No fair! Can we trade?"

"Sure. Knock yourself out," Stella shrugged as she gave her file to Ripley, who got her file in her place.

Gia took notice of her target's name: _Little Miss Polka_.

"Cybil... What makes you think they're come?"

"They have to," Cybil asserted, "If there's the Bounty Hunters hate more than a Pop Troll...it's a _traitorous_ Pop Troll..."

* * *

The group rendezvoused at Will home because it was one of the few establishments built outside the city. It was a simple two-story house (not counting the attic) with a white-and-green color scheme, a brick chimney on the right side (from the front side point-of-view), a nearby barn of the same height, and a white fence surrounding the entire radius. Will hoped to start a family when and if the opportunity arose, but the attempts didn't stick...

Not yet.

Marie served Caesar salad and apple pie to the group while Will worked on the fried chicken and sweet tea. James, Lucy, Robert, and Rachel worked the navigation hours from their town to Branch's while Josh, Sam, Amy, and Thomas saw that their arsenal was loaded, clean, and contained enough ammunition to go around. Tessa, Lena, and Jess saw their battle uniforms were prepped and ready for war.

"Never thought of ourselves at the superhero type," Lena remarked as she handed Jess's uniform to her.

"Neither did James," Lucy shrugged as she rested her head on James's shoulders, "but times have changed, and so have the rules."

"We're _not_ superheroes, Lena," Jess scoffed as she looked at it with utter disdain, "We never were and never will be."

"Vigilantes are the proper term, love," Amy took up a Glock 17 and Heckler & Koch G36C, "and we're technically breaking the law right now."

"And we're about to find out if Pop Village is fond of these vigilantes," Tessa noted as she attached a suppressor to a Remington 700 AICS.

"Pop Village?" Thomas checked the sights of a Colt Law Enforcement Carbine.

"It's what Troll Village was once called before the Trolls there found out they belonged to Pop," Tessa explained, "Or...at least that's what I think happened."

Sam loaded a M4A1 Carbine, "And you never bothered to share this information because...?"

"Most of my memories there weren't particularly fondful. Plus...I didn't think it was too important at the time."

"Really?" Amy perked up, "You've been to Pop Village?"

Tessa rolled her eyes, "Once. It's a shithole. No offense, James."

"None taken," James took up a SIG-Sauer P226R and Remington 870, handing another Glock 17 to Lucy, who added, "I never went to Pop or Troll Village before, either, so we'll just take your word for it."

"Good choice."

"So how far is the journey again?" Will arrived in the living room with Marie, the both of them placing down their respective servings on the coffee table.

"Three days tops," Rachel sighed.

"Two if we leave tonight," Thomas scoffed.

"One if we leave tomorrow by Caterbus," Tessa huffed.

"Again, things that should've been brought to our attention," Sam chuckled.

"Let it go, Sam," Lucy took a leg from the basket.

"So we're leaving tomorrow?"

"By Caterbus?"

"Yes," James nodded.

"And are we done with the plan-making for now?" Will poured himself a cup of sweet tea.

"Yes," James chuckled.

"Good, because it would be a shame for this food to go waste."

"Let's eat up, then," Thomas agreed, "We'll gonna need the energy."

Everybody clamored in agreement as they dug in. All the while, James had reservations about his own plan but constantly reassured himself that it would work, even if it ran into a few hitches along the way. His main conflict lied within the primary target that was his own, older brother.

_What have you done, Branch? What have you become? What happened to you?_

* * *

**_"Reload..."_ **

_Hickory felt nothing._

**_"Reload..."_ **

_Nothing but guilt._

**_"Reload..."_ **

_As he chugged down his 24th (or some may say his 27th) whiskey, it was a miracle that he didn't die from substance abuse by this point. The patrons watched as he chugged down his alcoholic beverage and placed it gently on the mesquite wood bar top._

**_"Reload..."_ **

_The Barkeep, a female Country Troll slightly younger than Hickory, nodded and poured a single shot glass and slid it over to him, who took his 25th (or some may say his 28th) whiskey graciously and downed it in one gulp. She wiped the bar top and threw the empty bottle into the trash, prepping a fresh new one for usage._

**_"Reload..."_ **

_Hickory placed down the shot glass a little harder than before, startling himself and the others, but not the barkeep._

**_"R... Reload..."_ **

_The Barkeep herself only smiled and lifted the bottle while opening it._

**_"One more drink?"_ **

_. . ._

**_"One more drink."_ **

_The Barkeep nodded, pouring the 30th and final glass of whiskey for Hickory tonight. The Country Troll himself reached for the cup...before hesitating. He picked it up and raised to his line of sight...gazing at it for a moment. Then, in an instant, he downed his 30th and final glass of whiskey tonight, resting it and the arm that was holding it up on the bar top._

_All of a sudden, the customers and patrons cheered in enthusiasm, unintentionally frightening Hickory, who turned around in confusion._

**_"The hell's their problem?"_ **

_**"One half of the bar was betting on you that you would last 30 shots,"** The Barkeep explained as she took the shot glass and placed it in the sink with the others, **"The other half was betting that you would fail."**_

**_"Which side did you choose?"_ **

_**"Neither,"** She shrugged and began washing the cups. **"I was the mighty peacekeeper as always."**_

_Hickory chuckled in amusement, **"Considering your position? Fitting."**_

_**"As it should. So...w** **hat's your story?"** _

_**"Does there have to be?"** _

_**"A Country Troll like you usually comes into a place like this...with the intent of kissing a girl or killing a man immediately after leaving. Which one is it?"** _

_. . ._

**_"Hmm. I like to think it's both."_ **

**_"Huh. You don't say? That's not the first time somebody responded with the third option, and it probably won't be the last. The third option is also rare. Who stole your girl? Male or female?"_ **

**_"Male. Although I didn't hold anything against him at first, it became clear that...her heart and his belonged together."_ **

**_"But...?"_ **

**_"But...I began to notice something wrong. Do you know Queen Barb? Of the Hard Rock Trolls?"_ **

**_"I do know Queen Barb...of the Hard Rock Trolls?"_ **

**_"Well...it came to my impression that she's changed."_ **

**_"Changed how?"_ **

**_"For starters, her personality. She used to bold, brash, and relentless all over. Now? She's...depressed, afraid, and tired. The same extends to her appearance. She now thinks the world is out to get her and frankly, I can't blame her. I wish I could...but I can't. I... I must bear half of the responsibility."_ **

_**"What for? You did nothing wrong."** _

_. . ._

**_"Did you?"_ **

_. . ._

**_"I used to be a Bounty Hunter in service of Queen Barb. I was a Yodeler Troll working alongside my brother. We were recruited by Queen Barb during her One Nation Under Rock World Tour. If we were bring the Queen of Pop to her alive with her String...we would keep our music. I thought the mission would be fairly simple. But...the more time we spent with each other, the less time I thought about the mission. We ultimately didn't capture her or the Pop String. The Reggaeton Gang did, but only by happenstance. In the end, the Strings and not our music were destroyed, leaving Barb's mission all for nothing and herself as the number one hated Troll in the kingdom...even if she did have regrets. The only ones who don't are the Queen of Pop and a few of Barb's friends. Needless to say...everything that can go wrong...did go wrong."_ **

_. . ._

_The Barkeep was neither shocked nor horrified by Hickory's recounting of Barb's world tour from his point of view. Instead, she only nodded in understanding as she processed every word he said and every sentence he formed, attempting to discover the truths or lies beneath. Was he lying? Was he truthing? She didn't know._

_The saloon's regulars, however, were a different story entirely. On one hand, they never suspected Hickory, one of their own, to be actually a Yodeler Bounty Hunter in disguise (until they noticed the lack of rear legs); after all, he was a kindhearted and charismatic individual who did his part to help the town in any way he could. On the other hand, they couldn't believe that Queen Barb, the one Troll who was responsible for destroying all music, was genuinely remorseful for her actions that ironically brought them together before; the primary reason for the other Tribes' unification, however, was not a pleasant one._

**_"Was...the girl the male stole from you...the Queen of Pop?"_ **

_Silence immediately echoed in the bar. Everybody turned to look at Hickory expectantly for an answer. He merely sighed and tapped his fingers on the bar top._

**_"Her name was Poppy. She was sweet and beautiful as the flower she was named after."_ **

_His finger then curled up as anger and resentment lingered in his tone for the next words he spoke._

**_"His name was Branch. He was stubborn and difficult to move as the tree part he was named after."_ **

_Hickory honestly had nothing against Branch when they first met, but as time passes, his contempt for the Pop Troll made him reevaluate what kind of relationship he had with him, as most people who once had best friends could attest to. Everyone had a dark and troubled past, but it wasn't a complete excuse to lash out against other Trolls, especically those one would call friends. After all...Trolls is Trolls._

**_"I should've known better. I should've known better. I should've known better..."_ **

_With the exception of the Barkeep, everybody looked at each other in fear and uncertainty, never before witnessing such a dark and coldhearted side to their beloved Hickory. The Barkeep merely looked in solemn sadness, knowing that a plan was formulating in that head of his and that plan depended on a decision that have yet to be made...until now._

**_"You're going to kill Branch, are you?"_ **

_. . ._

_. . ._

_. . ._

**_"Yes."_ **

_Hickory suddenly got up and left, but not before paying the Barkeep a total of 10 gold coins. Noticing a particular patron who wore a Deputy's badge attempting to stop him from leaving, she got up and held him back. When he turned back to protest, the Barkeep shook her head as a warning before turning to face the louvered wooden doors, still swinging after he had left._

**_Dear Lord... Please watch over one of our own..._ **

* * *

Arriving at a small shack that he called home far from home, Hickory stumbled through the doorway and glanced around in a drunken haze. His mind was sent in a flurry of emotions after declaring his intent of murdering Branch and saving Poppy. It wasn't the best summary of the idea he had in mind or even the idea he had in general, but he thought it best to keep the plan short and simple. He would admit two things when it came to his plan: the grudge he had against Branch was truly nothing personal, the obsession had with Poppy bordered on stalker-like, and the plan itself was completely far-fetched and reeking of overkill.

_So...three things._

. . .

_But why should one think rationally when that one is a complete and utter psychopath?_

The Psychopath whistled a familiar tune and began imagining a life where him and Poppy ended up together spanning different time periods.

**_(" I Fall To Pieces" by Patsy Cline) [Cover by Sam Rockwell without Back-Up Vocals]_ **

_The first imagine spot saw the Psychopath and Poppy as children, making an instant connection that was akin to...love at first sight._

**_I fall to pieces_ **  
**_Each time I see you again_ **

_The second imagine spot saw them transition from children to teenagers, with Branch playing the role of the suave and seemingly perfect replacement love interest. Poppy felt a reignited fire burning within her for the Psychopath...but Branch was having none of it._

**_I fall to pieces_ **  
**_How can I be just your friend?_ **

_The third imagine spot saw them as adults. Poppy and Branch were in a romantic relationship, but the former wasn't into commitment as much as the latter was. The Psychopath was left on the sidelines...or was he?_

**_You want me to act like we've never kissed_ **  
**_You want me to forget_ **  
**_Pretend we've never met_ **

_The fourth imagine spot saw Branch become more deranged and unhinged as his entitlement towards Poppy became increasingly tight, often taking out his anger on her or even blaming her for his rage. It proved too much for her to bear...and that was when and where the Psychopath stepped in._

**_And I've tried and I've tried_ **  
**_But I haven't yet_ **  
**_You walk by and I fall to pieces_ **

_The fifth and final imagine spot saw a few years into Poppy and the Psychopath's future, both married with children to call their own. Unfortunately, Branch returned with a vengeance and attempted to kill them all as a form of retribution. Being a father and husband, The Psychopath did absolutely everything in his power to protect his family...including murder in the form of self-defense. He had protected his family, but not himself._

**_And I've tried and I've tried_ **  
**_But I haven't yet_ **  
**_You walk by and I fall to pieces_ **

_The final image the Psychopath saw was his family right by his side as he lost consciousness. Whether he was dying or passing out, he didn't know...but it was a good fake life, regardless._

_. . ._

_Even if he had fallen to pieces._

A musical chirp suddenly snapped Hickory out of the fantasy world he created and back into reality. Turning to face the source, his eyes widened and his head tilted in confusion. The creature was practically a medium-sized furry squirrel with slender legs, large ears, a long neck, and a bright orange mane with matching tail, much like him and...his brother when they were masquerading as one of the Country Trolls.

The strange squirrel-horse ( _Squorse...?_ ) tweeted in delight, having enjoyed Hickory's heartfelt ballad. He chuckled and retrieved a couple of apples from a bag that contained a bushel.

"You hungry?" Hickory lightly chuckled as he tossed the apples one by one to the Squorse, who eagerly caught them and chomped them down.

"Excuse me. Mr. Hickory?"

He turned to find a yellow-skinned Pop Troll in his shack wearing what he assumed to be Country Troll clothing. Donning a purple-and-white flannel shirt, denim jeans, and tawny fur felt Stetson hat, the set surprisingly complemented and provided an interesting contrast to her white flower earrings, round lavender glasses, magenta lipstick, blue eyes, and purple hair that was sprinkled with green leaves and flowers. For a moment there, Hickory thought she was...

"You're not..."

"Poppy?" The Pop Troll nodded in understanding, "Yeah, I get that a lot. No, my name is actually Meadow Spriggs, a friend of hers."

"You do?"

"Well, I know through my friend Guy Diamond, who you probably may not know. But Poppy's...um..."

Hickory continued feeding his new pet Squorse before noticing Meadow hesitating to continue.

"What about Poppy...?"

"Well...she's in trouble."

That was all Hickory needed to sit up and take notice.

"What happened to her?"

"Well...it's mostly Branch's doing. My other friend Cybil believes that he's become too dangerous to be arrested as a regular citizen. She wishes that he be...dealt with immediately."

Giving Meadow's words a thought, Hickory walked over to a nearby box and slowly pulled out a blued Remington 870.

"I suppose this is the part where you offer me a proposition?"

"You suppose correctly, I'm afraid.."

* * *

Far from Pop Village once again was a glimmering and bustling desert kingdom, the home of the Middle Eastern Trolls described by many who lived and/or visited there as a city of mystery and enchantment. By definition, the Lavani Province has had numerous encounters with the fantastical throughout its existence, dismissed as fairy tales and folklore by outsiders. The born-and-bred denizens, however, know otherwise. Sorcerers, sorcereresses, sandworms, minotaurs, ifrits, elementals, rocs, griffins, fravashi, the goddess Anahit, flying carpets, and genies are just some of many of the inclusions of these meetings. With that said, the fantastical nature of the kingdom was a protective shield against the harsh realities of war and violence...a consequence of the Pop Trolls failing to heed their call for aid.

An Indian Troll with brown eyes, grey hair, and tan skin strolled the streets of the Lavani Province in search of a specific store set in the shady side of the sovereign state. He wore a dark grey sadri above a navy blue kurta with a standing collar, a matching churidar, and black leather jutti to conceal his royal appearance. Spotting the specific store he sought to search out, he entered inside and took a glance around. A tailor shop was the perfect cover-up for a more professional utilization.

"Prince Khan."

The Prince turned to find a Troll with brown eyes, black hair, and copper skin approach him. She had a black Kurdish dress and yellow silk Arakhchin.

"Hello, Yasmine."

"It's been a long, long time."

"Too long, I'm afraid."

Yasmine led Prince Khan to a smooth brown counter and gave him a business card.

"I assume you wish for a tasting?"

"You assume correctly. Is your sister present?"

"Leena is almost never present since she's got a job abroad. She's also taken the name of Mary now: repulsive but justifiable."

"Yes. So it's just you, then?"

"Of course not. Loneliness just leads to more insanity. I had to garner a fresh set of hands in the form of a trio of sisters. They're not even 12, but they know their way around a gun or two."

"A harsh reminder of the inaction of the Pop Trolls, no doubt."

"I curse the day they stole the Strings for themselves...even more so than the day they made peace with the Bergens."

"Maybe if you assist me..." Khan pulled out a bag of gold coins and laid it out on the counter, "Maybe I can make them pay."

Yasmine took one good look at the bag before she abruptly swiped it away.

"Maybe..."

She then beckoned him to follow her upstairs where the arsenal awaited him. He turned around and gave her privacy as she entered the 16-digit passcode. Pulling the door open, they were both met by a 30-feet-wide room with fluorescent lighting that illuminated the vast array of firearms that were at his disposal, attended to by the sisters themselves. Among the wide selection of firearms he could choose from included but not limited to two 3rd Generation Glock 17s; a 3rd Generation Glock 17L; two SIG-Sauer P226Rs; a Beretta Px4 Storm; a Heckler & Koch P30 and P30L; two Desert Eagle Mark XIXs (one factory black, the other brushed chrome); a M79 Grenade Launcher; a M203 Grenade Launcher in standalone configuration; seven AR-15 type rifles; two Coharie Arms CA-415 carbines; two SIG SG 552s; a Salient Arms International GRY SBR; a Taran Tactical SIG-Sauer MPX Carbine fitted with a Trijicon MRO sight, Streamlight TLR-8 weaponlight/laser module, TTI +11 base pad, and BCM adjustable stock; a Remington 870 MCS Masterkey; a KRISS SDP Vector; a TTI Glock 19; a TTI Glock 34; a TTI STI 2011 Combat Master; six CZ Scorpion Evo 3 A1/S1s (three of which were fitted with EOTech sights and SBTEVO stablizing braces); two Desert Tactical Arms Stealth Recon Scout sniper rifles; an Accuracy International Arctic Warfare Magnum; two Heckler & Koch G36Cs (one fitted with a KV-type buttstock, the other with an EOtech sight); a Remington 870 MCS; a Mossberg 590M; a Mossberg 590 Shockwave; a Barrett MRAD sniper rifle; a TTI Benelli M2 Super 90; a regular Benelli M4 Super 90; and an Olympic Arms K23B with a foregrip, red dot scope, and suppressor.

"It seems that the armory has improved since my last visit," Prince Khan chuckled out the remark.

"An assassination nation has been growing since your last visit," Yasmine shot back, "Hence the fresh set of hands. My section of the black market has been making more money than the tailor shop...not that anyone buys from there anyway."

"Only a select few, a section of which I'm part of."

"Let's hope it stays that way."

As Yasmine led Prince Khan to another countertop to conduct business, the sisterly trio recognized his royal heritage and bowed their heads in respect. The Prince acknowledged their presence with a head bow of his own before pulling ten gold coins each for the girls to receive. As they stared back at him in shock, he merely smiled back and turned away to focus on the deal at hand. The three sisters chattered excitedly as they pocketed their new allowance and continued with their job a little more enthusiastically.

"Do you think that all the money in the kingdom will solve all the problems in the world?"

"Of course not, Yaz. But a simple act of kindness makes the whole world spin a little faster."

"I'm sure it does. So...see anything you like? Anything that catches your eye? Anything that strikes your fancy?"

"You know how much I want to buy half of this armory?"

"Just as much that you know how you can't."

"Exactly."

Scanning the shelves, rows, and racks of endless firearms, Prince Khan made his first choices.

"With that said, I would like a single SIG-Sauer P226R and a single 3rd Generation Glock 17."

Yasmine plucked the two pistols from their stands and laid them on the counter for Prince Khan to examine, pulling a smaller pistol immediately after.

"I would like to recommend the Walther PPK/S, .380 ACP. Slightly more powerful than a .38 Special, it is colored blue, more lightweight, and features manageable recoil."

Handing the compact pistol to Khan, he checked the front and back sight before nodding.

"What's next?"

"Something robust, something precise. Not too flashy, not too overcompensating."

"Robust, precise..." Yasmine repeated under her breath and frowned as she turned back to retrieve three rifles from the racks.

"M4A1 Carbines with a M68 Aimpoint CompM2 red dot reflex optic, Knight's Armament RAS railed handguard, RIS vertical forward grip, EOTech 552.A65 Holographic Sight, and Surefire M951XM05 side-mounted tactical flashlight. The SIG SG 552 with a scope rail that fits the Leupold scope, RIS hanguard, and suppressor."

Prince Khan examined each of the rifles in terms of their magazines, sights, and scopes. He nodded it and gently placed them down.

"Moving to something big, something bold."

"Nothing too flashy, nothing too overcompensating?"

"You know me too well."

Yasmine took up three shotguns from their peg hooks on the wall.

"The Remington 870 MCS in breaching configuration, the Mossberg 590M, and the Benelli M4 Super 90. Two are pump-action, one is semiautomatic. Two holds 7, one holds 15. All pack a powerful punch."

Prince Khan repeated the same examination process from his three previous firearms, placing them down on the counter.

"What's next? Dessert?"

"Now that you think about it... I would like the finest cutlery you have."

Yasmine picked a black box of different knives neatly laid in rows of six.

"The KA-BAR Tanto, the Microtech UTX-70 and Combat Troodon, the Cold Steel Counter Tac 1 and Safe Maker 1. A thick, pointed blade with a partially serrated edge. It even comes with a hard plastic compitable sheath. An aluminum handle and double action thumb slide, stainless steel and satin finish, lanyard hole, and stonewash finsh. Blade length of 9.5 and 6.5", respectively."

Prince Khan nodded once more, not minding his aching neck.

"This should be good for now."

"For now? When you travel to Pop Village, there won't be a similar service awaiting you."

"I don't expect it to be. Pop Village is far behind in terms of technological advancements; The Chanty Trolls, on the other hand, are not."

"How do you I work for the Chanty Trolls?"

_. . ._

"I don't."

As Prince Khan took out five pieces of silver as a tip, Yasmine mentally cursed for falling for that trick, intentional or not, "Would you like to have your weapons sent to the palace?"

"Yes, but have the packages sent discreetly."

Yasmine nodded as Prince Khan turned to leave.

"Prince Khan?"

The Prince stopped and glanced over his shoulder upon hearing his name being called out.

"From what I have been hearing, the political tensions between the six Troll kingdoms are starting to arise. If you're doing what I think you're doing, do be careful."

The Prince nodded one more time before leaving the tailor shop.

When he arrived, he found a young Troll with black eyes, black hair, and beige skin tending to the family pet, a tiger cub. She wore a lehenga sari with the color scheme of red, blue, and gold. As she turned her gaze toward the door, her eyes widened and she gasped excitedly, a smile growing on her face.

"Uncle Khan!"

"Hello, Kamala."

The Prince lifted the young Princess high into the air, laughing heartily as he spun her around.

"How are you and your parents?"

"They're adjusting pretty well. I can't thank you enough for letting us stay here."

"Think nothing of it. You and your family can stay as long as you need to."

"That's nothing to not think of."

Prince Khan and Kamala turned to find Kamala's parents approach them. The father had brown eyes, black hair, and golden brown skin; he wore a white shalwar kameez dress and a navy blue waistcoat. The mother had black eyes, brown hair, and honey brown skin; she wore a simple cotton ghagra choli with the color scheme of purple and pink. Both of them wore black peshawari chappal.

"We are grateful for taking us, Aaron, and we owe you a great debt," The father addressed Prince Khan.

"You owe me nothing, Ray," Aaron himself continued to shake his head, "You and your family are family to me. If anything, _I'm_ the one with the great debt. But first, are Prince Alex and Princess Jasmine present in the kingdom?"

"They just arrived for a two-long trip," The mother, Jenny, answered the question intended for Ray, "Why? Is it a business trip you have?"

"No. Something far worse."

"An assassination attempt?" Ray gasped in horror.

"The closest description there is."

Ray and Jenny exchanged horrified glances before turned their gaze toward their daughter. Kamala was old enough to know the rise, demise, and second rising of famous Troll empires that served as the predecessor to the Lavani Pronvince. Such details included the ancension to the throne, numerous power grabs, and assassinations that necessitated the former two events. It unnerved her to no end, but she also learned how to not let it overwhelm the best of her in her worse moments.

"But it's not going to happen, is it?" Kamala persisted.

"No, of course not, my dear Kamala," Aaron kneeled down to her level, cupping her cheeks in a reasuring manner, "Not if I have something to say or do about it."

"Which is why you're heading to Pop Village tonight," Ray anticipated his brother's words.

"Of course not, Ray. I'm leaving first thing tomorrow night."

"Are you sure that is wise, Aaron?" Jenny expressed her worries, "Knowing Pop Village and their history, a repressed dark side lies beneath their kindhearted and happy-go-lucky ground. I fear it may be too dangerous to embark on this journey alone."

Aaron shook his head once more and stood up, "Bringing my family along will not just endanger your lives, but your entire lineage. Bringing a few members of the Royal Guard will leave the Lavini Province a few members short when protecting it. It needs all hands on deck."

Kamala didn't want her Uncle Aaron to leave as soon as he entered, this being the first time she saw him in five years. She knew that a potential war had to be prevented sooner than later, however, and nodded her head in understanding. Hugging him, she did her best not to cry as she did so.

"P-Please...be careful, Uncle Aaron."

"I promise," Aaron smiled reassuredly, "and it's okay to cry, if you're worried."

At that, Kamala let the dam break and hugged Aaron tighter. Ray and Jenny joined the group hug, careful not to nearly crush Kamala. They stayed like that for a few moments before they were joined by two participants. The male wore a purple openly short Arabian coat with a white shoulder armor on both sides of his short coat with gold trim at the back of his short coat (resembling a long purple cape), cream pants, the golden-brown shoes, and a red-and-brown fez. The female wore a violet strapless tube top with matching pants consisting of linings around the waist that came full circle and end with a blue, encrusted jewel. Her shoulders were covered by a transparent, blue veil that reaches down to her waist; her outfit was completed by gold earrings and purple bands to tie into her ponytail.

"Sorry, we're late," Prince Alex chuckled.

"We dozed off," Princess Jasmine giggled.

"What did we miss?" The both of them tilted their heads in confusion.

"A lot, you two," Ray shrugged.

"There's something Uncle Aaron needs to discuss with the both of you," Jenny bit her bottom lip as she nodded her head toward the Prince.

Alex and Jasmine turned toward Uncle Aaron, who wore a forlorn look and steely gaze at the same time. The both of them exchanged confused but ultimately determined glances before turning back to nod back, wondering what the Prince had to say.

* * *

**_"This is the rhythm, rhythm, rhythm, rhythm, rhythm of the night..."_ **

Far from Pop Village once more was a rainforest kingdom filled with a variety of multicolored Trolls that bore an uncanny resemblance to Pop Trolls but awaited with one crucial difference: feathers galore. The citizens wore feathers with colors that extended beyond the rainbow. From red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple to onyx, azure, malachite, crimson, amethyst, and chartreuese, this group of Trolls was quite possibly the most colorful out of them all, beating out Techno, Funk, and even Pop. Another of their distinguishing features were their style of clothing that proved risque and sensual much to the outsiders' shock. The males either went shirtless or wore a button-up, collared shirt with denim pants and the sleeves folded to the elbows, exposing their chests and abs. The females, meanwhile, either wore two pieces with skirts or sleeveless midriff tops that closely took after bras and denim short shorts, unintentionally (or intentionally?) highlighting their sultry demeanor. The fashion choices echoed over to the children, who happily ran over with or without adult supervision as they excitedly banged drums and blew whistles.

Welcome to _Ciudad Latina_.

One of these Trolls soared above the city and waved hello at the occupants below, who waved hi back. About the same size as them, he had bright yellow skin with red zigzag patterns and tiny, shiny feathers; a right cheek, green triangle marking; a long mohawk with red shiny feathers; matching and flaring tail feathers; a pair of green pants; and a red neckerchief adorned with glitter. He eventually landed on the tree limb of a large nut tree that served as an entry path towards a door that led inside the home of the local royalty.

Entering inside and making his way to the conference room, the Latin Troll found his cousins seated around a smooth round table with nine more members. The Prince was a deep shade of royal blue with lush feathers that, judging by the patterns within, resembled colorful eyes. His hair feathers was tightened at the base with a light blue hairtie while his tail feathers were dragged on the ground; both sections of feathers were long, dangling, iridescent, and aquatic/peacock-evocative. He wore a crystal necklace around his neck, a clear hint of his royalty. The Princess was essentially a spitting image of her brother, right down to the same colors, the same markings, and even the same nose. The only things that were discernibly different that made stand apart from her sibling were her feathers and clothing choices. Aside from them being shorter, she lacked the peacock-like tail feathers and their eyeball-like pattern that defined her sibling. Her headdress, on the other hand, made up for it with its peacock feathers, jewels, silver that embraced her head in place of a crown or tiara. Complementing the headdress were a pair of diamond earrings and three green bracelets on each arm. Both of them were wearing their serious attire in the form of solid black business suits and dresses.

"Lucas! Dulce! And...everyone else! Oh, should I go back and get my serious attire?"

"Um, no," Dulce chuckled and shook her head, "That's okay, Lucas."

"Just take your seat, Diogo," Lucas nodded his head in reassurance, "I'll explain everything."

Diogo did what he was told as Lucas and Dulce addressed the nine members, "All right, everyone. Let's talk business. We have reason and evidence to believe that Pop Village, Lonesome Flats, Techno Reef, Symphonyville, and Vibe City are declaring war on Volcano Rock City because of the events of Queen Barb's World Tour."

"And how is this our problem, Your Majesty?" One female member spoke up, "This conflict is among the six main Troll Kingdoms. Why must it involve us?"

"Because regardless of the Rock Trolls' intent," Lucas explained, "we must keep the peace among their neighboring kingdoms."

"But we have remained a neutral nation for centuries," The same member peristed, "Why of all times must we be involved now?"

"The World Tour conducted by Queen Barb was the closest that the six tribes have interacted for the first time following Pop Village's hijacking of the Strings," Dulce elaborated, "History has quite literally repeated itself between the two most ferocious rivals in music's. This madness can not continue. We need to act, because if we don't, someone else will, and their method of action will not be satisfactory."

"Regardless if we do or do not take action," A male member spoke up next, "Princess Dulce has a point. The six main Troll tribes have proven to be affable and cooperative with each other in the past. After all, it was only the Pop Trolls' ancestor who was the sole perpetrator."

"So you're suggesting that we take action but keep our distance from the Pop Trolls?" Another male member simplified.

"It may be the best choice we have," Another female member nodded, "A Rock Troll was taking a page or two from the scrapbook of a Pop Troll. Not us, not Techno, not Classical, nobody else except Pop."

Everybody murmured in agreement, even the female member who refused to let _Ciudad Latina_ become neutral no longer.

"I don't necessarily agree with your plan, Princess," The second female member continued, "but you do raise some vaild points. The proper precautions must be taken first before we execute your plan."

Princess Dulce nodded in understanding and turned toward her brother, who contemplated her plan before nodding in agreement.

"We need to call our Royal Guard. Warn and train them ahead while we can. We need someone to inflitrate Pop Village in the meantime. Someone stealthy, someone invisible."

"I know someone," Diogo spoke up, causing everybody to turn and look at him now.

"I mean...he's not a friend to me, but more like an acquaintance of mine. We talk a lot, walk a lot, fight a lot, but in the end, we're friends a lot. We understand each other and still keep in contact with each other after he became a nomad. It helps that he's actually been to Pop Village back when it was called _Troll_ Village. Here's the thing: he's not actually a Troll."

"Not a Troll?" Lucas and Dulce were taken aback.

"Of course not, but he's great at what he does, only managing to get caught just once."

The council members, Lucas and Dulce included, exchanged intrigued glances.

"What choice do we have?"

"None. Diogo, do you think you can contact him?"

"It can be done, but it won't be easy in terms of convincing him and actually contacting him because of the whole nomad thing."

"Whatever it takes, just get him here," Lucas nodded before standing up, "Send the word to all members of the Royal Guards, on-duty and off-duty. We need all hands on deck."

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

The council members exited the conference room until Lucas, Dulce, and Diogo remained.

"Do you think we can trust your asset?" Lucas crossed his arms.

"Most definitely," Diogo asserted, "He's laid his life on the line for others too many times for me to count."

"Then he's our best bet," Dulce nodded, "Let's just hope he knows the plan."

"We can only hope..." Lucas glanced down at his arms.

* * *

The next morning, most of the group waited at the bus stop for them to hail an incoming Caterbus. They were met by Matt and Frank, an Orchestral Pop Troll and a Garage Rock Troll, respectively. For some time now, Matt and Frank were on the opposite ends of the spectrum, despite them displaying on numerous occasions that they were not so different from each other. On one hand, Matt had a habit of sparing his enemies, never killing them but showing them no mercy in combat. On the other hand, Frank had no such qualms, mercilessly tearing apart his enemies and acquiring the highest body count out of them both. In the end, however, the both of them ultimately fought on the side of good, but the both of them had different mindsets of justice in mind.

"It's good to see you two again," James shook hands with Matt and Frank.

"Of course, James," Matt nodded in acknowledgement, "We wouldn't have come here if we didn't knew it was you."

"That's just a nice way of saying we don't want to be here, but it's a contractual obligation of ours," Frank chuckled as he glanced around, attempting to prove himself innocent of that less-than-flattering remark.

"Are you talking about me or you?"

"Yes."

"You two focus," Robert came with Amy, Josh, Tessa, and Thomas, who all intended to load the weapons onto the Caterbus, "We needs all hands on deck."

"No worries," Frank raised his hands up, "I'm just trying to diffuse the tension."

"Good luck at that," Matt snarked under his breath as he saw a Caterbus approach. When it slowed down to a stop, the group boarded and loaded the weapons before taking their seats, shaking with nervousness as they journeyed to their destination.

* * *

Aaron was boarding a different Caterbus to Pop Village, but he was far from the only occupant of the bus. The crowd of different Trolls made him feel right at home, even if they talked too loud, too much, or too less. It provided a sense of familiarity evocative of his home kingdom, citizens hustling and bustling as they went about their daily business. Taking out a pair of wireless headphones first, Aaron then took out a pocket-size device constructed from the Funk Trolls' technology and turned it on to play music to pass the time.

* * *

Diogo was boarding a different Caterbus to Pop Village, but he was far from the only occupant of the bus. The crowd of different Trolls made him feel right at home, even if they talked too loud, too much, or too less. It provided a sense of familiarity evocative of his home kingdom, citizens hustling and bustling as they went about their daily business. Taking out a pair of wireless headphones first, Diogo then took out a pocket-size device constructed from the Funk Trolls' technology and turned it on to play music to pass the time.

* * *

**_("The Plan" by Travis Scott)  
[Montage Shot]_ **

_Prince D couldn't believe this. Despite everything his mother had done, she still had little patience and tolerance for their houseguest. A houseguest who was publicly humiliated and sexually assaulted by a Troll he almost would've considered as a friend. Yes, it was true that Queen Barb was the cause of their near loss of music, but she saw the errors of her ways and made every possible effort to repent. Unfortunately, it was too little too late in the eyes, specifically the Troll Leaders and especially his own parents._

**_[Chorus]_ **  
**_You...don't know where we stand..._ **

_He thought he could trust them..._

**_It's true..._ **

_He thought they weren't motivated by revenge..._

**_Know the plan..._ **

_He thought the Funk Trolls were better than this._

**_[Verse 1]_ **  
_**Last time I wrecked it** [Prince Darnell of the Funk Trolls was angry...] **  
Last time I whipped around** [No, he was exasperated...]_  
_**Last time I did the whippets** [No, he was frenzied...] (Yeah)_  
_**Last time I live reverse** [No, he was galled... ] (Yeah, yeah, ooh)_  
_**Pour the brown** [He was seeing red...]_  
_**Hit the reverend** [He was seethed beyond the boiling point...] (Yeah)_  
_**Last time I hit your crib** [He had reached his point break...] (Yeah)_  
_**Last time there was no tenants** [He wanted to go on a rampage...] (Ooh, ooh)_

_He knew better now._

**_I done went back in myself, felt like Hell_ ** _[Marching back to his room, Darnell locked the door behind him and walked to his closet...]_  
_**Fuck, I risked it, patience sеll** (Yeah) [Inside awaited a septet of discarded weapons stolen from a botched deal from the Chanty Trolls...]_  
_**Found you livin'** [A SIG-Sauer P226R...] **,** **know you thrillin'** [A Glock 17...] **, not for sinnin'** [A Glock 19...] (Yeah)_  
_**How I got** [A Remington 870...] **my stripes and pеndants, backin' out** [A M4A1 Carbine...] **in the street** (Yeah)_  
_**What is wild** [A Heckler & Koch HK416...] **, let it be, ragers out** [and A M136 AT4...] **, gotta eat** (Yeah)_  
_**Not a vibe** (Yeah) **but a wave** [Darnell was never a big guns fan] **, with the sound by the way** [...preferring to let his instruments do the talking...]_  
_**Count it down** [...but for his pacifism, altruistic, and understanding demeanor...] **, by the days** (Ooh) [...he had to admit even he needed to vent some frustration...]_  
_**To myself, know they wicked,** [The clock was ticking...] **with the moves** (Ooh, ooh)_  
**_I'm drinkin', off the juice,_ ** _[...for him to take action...]_ **_know I'm drinkin'_ **  
**_I be smooth, then I lose it,_ ** _[...and time was running out...]_ **_yeah, yeah now_ **

_The time to take action was now._

**_[Chorus]_ **  
_**You...don't know where we stand** (Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)_

_Darnell knew that everybody was susceptible to violence as a last resort, but never before had anybody had done it so quickly than his own parents._

_**It's true** (Yeah, yeah)_

_He wouldn't dare lose hope because of this, however. A change was needed, a revelation was coming, and a plan was set._

**_Know the plan_ **

_The Prince of Vibe City wouldn't dare lose hope...for Queen Barb._

**_[Verse 2]_ **  
**_Close the opera_ ** _[Darnell opened the door of his room once he was done packing...]_  
**_Hear the red and blue outside_ ** _[...nearby bumping into Cooper as he went...]_ **_, I think our option's_ ** _**up** [...before another plan hatched in his head...as bad as it was...]_  
**_I recrossed it 'round the map_ ** _["Cooper! I need your help..."] **,**_ **_I had to line it up_ ** _["I need you to take my place.."]_  
**_I be swervin' on the waves_ ** _["I'm going somewhere very dangerous..."]_ **_, it's like a line of us_ ** _["You can do it because you're the ace..."]_ _(Yeah, yeah)_  
**_Move in 'verse on my turf_ ** _, [With him in the clear, Prince D left Vibe City on his hoverboard...]_ **_I'm outta line, I put in work_ ** _[...which was no easy task...]_  
**_I draw the line and cross it first_ ** _[...due to the unpredictable weather patterns...]_  
**_I need the time, I need to search_ ** _[...that took more time off his hands...]_  
**_It's just like_ ** _[BOOM!]_ **_wine, it make it worse_ ** _[...than it should've...]_  
**_Skrrt, skrrt_ ** _[CLAP!]_ **_in the 'Vert, skrrt,_ ** _**skrrt** [...for a very long time...]_  
**_Ride on land, Boeing jet, make it land_ ** _[Darnell landed in Troll Forest...]_  
**_In slow motion when I dance_ ** _[...but it wasn't a very smooth one...]_  
**_In your eyes I see your trance_ ** _[...and his vision was impaired from the rain...]_  
**_I run away and then you prance_ ** _[...his hoverboard was heavily damaged...]_ **_(Yeah)_ **  
**_If I show the hideaway, would you hide out and let it blam?_ ** _[...and he ultimately suffered a few injuries himself...]_ **_(Yeah, yeah)_ **  
**_Ain't no time, I'm facin' scams, nah, nah_ ** _[...but he just wouldn't give up...]_ **_(Yeah)_ **

**_[Chorus]_ **  
_**You don't know where we stand** (Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)_

_Not yet..._

_**It's true** (Yeah, yeah, ooh-ooh, ooh)_

_Barbara needs you..._

**_Ooh_ **

_You can't give in..._

**_Know the plan..._ **

_Wearing nothing but a purple hood with a cape and a green cap, Darnell charged head-first into Troll Forest to brave the dangers that awaited him...emotional, mental, and physical._

_An EMP..._

* * *

The group arrived at Troll Forest around nighttime, grabbing their bags of weapons and armored uniforms as they exited. James and Lucy lead the group to a safe spot where they could change out of their civilian clothes and into their combat outfits as well as check their weapons.

"Alright, J," Will readied his Glock 17 and Heckler & Koch HK416, "What's the play?"

"There's 15 of us..." James started.

"For some inexplicable reason..." Frank muttered.

"...so we split up into groups of five," James continued, "Matt, Frank, Jess, Will, and Marie, find Branch's home or bunker if he has built one. Sam, Rachel, Josh, Tessa, and Lena, scout Pop Village but don't engage until I give the orders. Amy, Thomas, Robert, Lucy, and I will find Branch directly."

"What then?" Sam loaded his Glock 19 and M4A1 Carbine, "What happens when or if you do find him?"

"We'll probably just wing it like witches from there," Lucy snarked.

"Yes, like a plan on the fly rarely goes south," Frank muttered a little louder, prompting Matt to speak up after.

"Why don't you have at least a little bit of faith in this mission?"

"I actually do, thank you," Matt shot back, "It's just buried deep, _deep_ , **_deep_ **down..."

"Kill the chatter, you two," Rachel holstered her Glock 17 and slung her flashlight-mounted Remington 870 over her shoulders, "We need to focus so we can get in and get out just as quickly."

"Well, _that's_ gonna cause an issue," Amy beckoned upward, causing everybody to look upward as well. High above from where they stood was a hoverboard landing a few miles from where they stood. As the figure hopped off and lifted its hood, James immediately recognized those short, blue dreadlocks from anywhere.

"That's Darnell..."

"Um...who?" Amy's eyes shifted left to right.

"Prince D of the Funk Trolls," Lucy explained, "What's he doing here?"

"Probably the same reason as us," Aaron joked, not knowing how right he was.

"God, I hope not," Tessa huffed, "This is too much people already."

"The more, the merrier, right?" Lena shrugged.

"If he's a Prince like Lucy said," Rachel tilted her head, "then we have to be careful. Him attacking us or us attacking him will not look good on either of our images."

"Not that we had one to begin with," Frank muttered once again, causing Matt to scowl back at him.

"I'll go check," James holstered his SIG-Sauer P226R and Glock 17 while slinging his Remington 870 over his shoulders, gesturing Lucy to stay with the group. As he approached slowly, he began to wonder if the Prince of Vibe City remembered one of his friends after all those years.

_Well, only one way to find out..._

"Darnell?"

The figure stiffened and used his peripheral vision.

_All right, Darnell. Remember what Cooper taught you. Just play dumb!_

_. . ._

"Who's Darnell?"

_. . ._

_Not that dumb!_

"Darnell, it's me: Prince James."

The Funk Prince's eyes widened in surprise and he turned around to face his old friend. Blue eyes, blue skin, bright blue hair with red tints... This was most definitely his childhood friend in the flesh.

"J!"

"D."

Darnell rushed foward and hoisted up James to spin forward, setting him down when he became nauseous.

"Sorry about that, man. What's poppin'?"

"Same old, same old. What about you?"

"Same old, same old. Same as you. What are you even doing here?"

"Same reason you're here. I assume you're here to find Queen Poppy?"

Darnell awkwardly scratched the back of his head, "You assume correctly...for the most part."

"Actually, that reason is reserved for me..."

The group and Prince D glanced up to find a tan-skinned Troll with brown eyes and grey hair leap down from the trees and land in-between the group, James, and Prince D. He wore a slate grey suit jacket above a white long-sleeve button-down dress shirt and matching trousers, a navy blue necktie, and black peshawari chappal; he carried two black duffel bags which presumably contained his weapons and other equipment.

"...and only me."

James rested his hands by his side, where his two pistols were holstered, "And who may you be?"

"Oh, forgive me. Where are my manners?" The Troll introduced himself, "My name is Prince Khan of the Lavani Province, home of the Middle Eastern Trolls. I traveled from my home to Pop Village as a means of meeting with Queen Poppy to negotiate a peace treaty."

"A peace treaty?" James tilted his head.

"It has come to my attention that Pop Village is harboring a war criminal by the name of Queen Barb, are they not?"

That was all Prince D needed to turn on a dime, surprising himself as much as James.

"Barb's not a war criminal, Prince Khan. She's far from it."

"I understand, Prince Darnell," Khan raised his hands up to show he meant no harm, "I merely desire to grant Queen Barb and her companions asylum. After learning on her predicament and the abuse inflicted upon her by a Pop Troll by the name of Branch, I wish to lend a helping hand."

"Abuse? You mean like domestic abuse?"

The group, Prince D, and Prince Khan glanced up to find a bright yellow-skinned Troll leap down from the trees and glide down, landing a few feet from Khan. He wore a brown leather jacket above a blue long-sleeve cotton shirt with a three-button opening, black slim fit jeans, and black boots.

"Yes," James nodded, "And you are...?"

"Oh, sorry," The second non-Pop Troll introduced himself, "I'm Diogo, a spare to the heirs of _Ciudad Latina_ , home of the Latin Trolls. I'm here for the same reason Prince Darnell and Prince Khan are here, I presume?"

"It's close enough," Prince D shrugged.

"Stemming from the Latin Troll's disbelief..." Will approached Prince Khan, "...what do you mean by domestic abuse?"

Prince Khan somberly explained, "It would appear that the Pop Troll Branch has forcibly impregnated the Rock Queen Barb, blessing/cursing her with two Trollings. My best guess as to the reasoning behind this madness is that he has acquired a superiority complex stemming from trauma suffered in the past and has feeled satisfaction in venting his frustration on his so-called enemy."

The group once more processed the information given to them, their horror and severity of the situtation increasing tenfold. As the two Rock Trolls in the group, Lucy and Aaron's dread was the most visible: Lucy for having recently found solace in her new role in her new home, Aaron for having recently found new love after giving up all hope in it. The former exchanged fearful glances with James, the latter with Marie. They hoped that relations with the Trolls Kingdom would improve. They were utterly wrong. After all those years of separation, absolutely nothing had changed for the better...but for the worse.

"We need to kill him," Prince D turned and walked away, only getting a few feet in before having James's hand rest on his shoulders.

"If we kill him now, Pop Village will immediately side with him. Our mission to them would be nothing but a successful assassination attempt. We need to find him first."

Prince D's eyes focused squarely on the path of Pop Village, which was a few miles away. His hardened expression softened and he sighed in resignation.

"You're right. But what's the plan?"

"Well, there's 18 of us now," Josh glanced around, "So I guess we can split into three groups of six."

"Josh is right," James nodded in agreement, "Prince D, you can go with Matt's group; Prince Khan, you can go with Sam's group. We'll figure out what to do from there."

Everybody exchanged nods of understanding before taking the long walk to their destination. Covering all sides from high to low, left to right, front to back, the group readied their weapons and acted in sync, watching each other's backs until they reached the inner limits of Pop Village. On the surface, it looked normal at first glance, but when looking deeper, a sinister force was at work here, there, and everywhere. Everybody was chattering happily, minding their own business, and going about their daily business as usual. Racial slurs and straightforward insults concerning the Rock Trolls were being either handed out like candy to a child or tossed around like beads at a parade. The group turned to Lucy and Will, who visibly winced at the verbal abuse that lightheartedly yet unknowingly acknowledged them before they were both comforted by their respective partners.

"We'll strike at night," James stated, "We'll be less likely to cause a disturbance by then..."

* * *

That night, the group got their weapons and other equipment ready. James carried a Glock 17, a SIG-Sauer P226R, and a Remington 870; Lucy carried a Glock 17 and a M4A1 Carbine with a M68 Aimpoint red dot scope and M203 Grenade Launcher; Amy carried a Glock 17 and a Heckler & Koch G36C with EOTech holographic sight; Will carried a Beretta 92FS, a Remington 870, and a Heckler & Koch HK416; Marie carried a Glock 17 and a M4A1 Carbine with EOTech sight and Surefire weaponlight; Sam carried a Glock 19 and a M4A1 Carbine; Rachel carried a Glock 17 and a Remington 870 with a Surefire flashlight; Lena and Robert both carried only a M4A1 Carbine; Matt carried a Glock 19, a SIG-Sauer P226R, and a Mossberg 500 Cruiser with ATI Halo accessories; Frank carried a customized Colt MK IV Series 80, a Para 1911 G.I. Expert, a Mossberg 500 Sidewinder Kit, a Heckler & Koch G36C with an Aimpoint CompM2 red dot sight, and a FN M249 SAW Paratrooper; Tessa carried only a Remington 700 AICS; Thomas carried only a Colt Law Enforcement Carbine; Jess carried a standard Mossberg 590 and a Nemesis Arms Vanquish with a scope and rails; Diogo carried a Mossberg 500 Persuader and a Heckler & Koch HK416; Josh carried a pair of SIG-Sauer P226Rs and a scoped SIG SG 552. Prince D and Aaron didn't have a signature weapon, but instead carried the firearms they either bought or smuggled along with them.

In terms of battle uniforms, James wore his father's uniform from before; Lucy wore a black tactical stretch Kevlar suit with black boots and titanium-plated shin guards; Amy wore a black leather biker jacket with matching combat boots above a purple unitard with blue wrist braces and knee pads; Will wore a black suit with a purple tinge, a right-arm sleeve on his right arm and a full glove, a left-arm finger glove and armguard, and a left-leg thigh holster where his Beretta was; Marie wore the same red leather coat above a black leather bulletproof suit with red knee-high boots and black leather fingerless gloves; Sam wore a dark grey coat above a red leather bulletproof suit with black combat boots, matching armguards, and a pair of tactical goggles with red lenses; Rachel wore a black leather coat above a grey jumpsuit, a bulletproof vest, and brown boots; Lena wore a collared red long-sleeve mini-dress over chain mail covered with silver plating in the shape of a deep-scoop shirt, a belt with shoulder pads, and dark grey pants with black boots; Robert wore a similar uniform but with a button-down shirt in place of the mini dress, a bulletproof vest, and a dark green-and-blue color scheme; Matt wore a black coat over a white long-sleeve button-down shirt, matching trousers, a red necktie, a bulletproof vest, and a pair of glasses with red lenses; Matt wore an all-black uniform with a leather coat, a long-sleeve button-down shirt, a bulletproof vest, pants, combat boots, and gloves; Tessa wore a protection suit consisting of gloves, long boots, wrist gauntlets, a utility belt, and the color scheme of black, blue, and silver; Thomas wore a black suit with a bulletproof vest and a pair of black sunglasses; Jess wore a black leather bomber jacket above a dark grey long-sleeve button-down shirt, navy blue pants, black combat boots with matching leather gloves, blue metal armguards underneath her jacket, and dark purple dyed hair; Josh wore his signature set but with a brown leather coat and a bulletproof vest in place of the leather one; and Prince D wore a simple black jacket above his purple hood and a bulletproof vest. Diogo and Aaron both wore the same clothes when traveling to Pop Village but each with an added bulletproof vest.

"Matt, Sam," James called out to them both, "You both know your roles. What to do, right?"

"I lead a team into Branch's bunker..." Matt started.

"...and _I_ lead a team into _Pop Village_ ," Sam finished. "No worries, James."

"Forgetfulness is a given in hard times," Frank snarked towards Sam this time. The Funk Troll shot an even angrier glare at him, who eventually stood down and backed up, "Just trying to give my man a head start, that's all."

"Let's just focus, please," Jess groaned and rubbed her forehead, "so we can get this shit over with and go home."

"I agree," Josh nodded, "but let's not get ahead of ourselves, shall we?"

"We shall not..." Thomas nodded in agreement.

The group then split into smaller ones of five. Sam, Rachel, Josh, Tessa, Lena, and Aaron headed towards Pop Village; Matt, Frank, Will, Marie, Jess, and Diogo headed towards Branch's bunker; and James, Lucy, Amy, Robert, Thomas, and Prince D headed towards Branch's actual location.

The tertiary group found most of the citizens in their homes, preparing dinner and additional evening festivities within the comfort of their own homes. Josh found it rather peaceful, perhaps even more so than his actual home in Lonesome Flats, but he couldn't pick favorites even if he tried. His places of residence brought something pleasantly different to the table; Lonesome Flats brought peace and quiet, Pop Village brought fun and liveliness. He just needed to find the best of both worlds when starting a family of his own.

_Man, I gotta stop hanging around with Will..._

Sam spotted a pink-and-gold pod high in the air and silently beckoned the group to glance in his direction. Rachel, meanwhile, spotted stairs that lead upward and shifted Sam's attention to it. The Funk Troll lead his group up as they covered each other's sides, signaling them to stop once they reached what they presumed to be the front entrance. Knocking on it a few times but receiving no response, Lena opted for a try and knocked more gently this time. That time, a petal lowered down to grant them access inside. As they filed into the Pop Queen's pod, they found it surprisingly vacant with the exception of a bed, table, and photographs on the wall. Rachel took a look at one of the photographs, which consisted of Poppy and her parents having a fun time together.

 _"Don't have these Pop Trolls have any furniture or personal belongings in their homes?"_ Sam frowned.

 _"Of course not,"_ Tessa explained, _"Pop Trolls usually store many of their possessions in their hair, hence the lack of homely equipment. I told you, it's a shithole."_

 _"What a way to live..."_ Josh murmured under his breath.

Meanwhile, the secondary group found their assigned task to be relatively easy for one patch of grass was slightly darker than the rest. Tapping his left foot on the grass patch in question, Diogo gave a silent thumbs up to Matt, who nodded at the given signal and pushed the entrance open with the help of Jess and Frank. There awaiting was a platform with a side lever, which Jess pulled toward her after she, Matt, and Frank boarded; it lowered the platform deeper and deeper into the depths of Branch's bunker, passing by numerous storage rooms with enough supplies to last him approximately 10 years before it stopped upon reaching ground level. Boarding off, Jess and Frank watched Matt pull the lever away from him, taking him and the platform up to the surface to retrieve Will, Marie, and Diogo.

Once the six of them were together, they examined the rest of the survival bunker, with Jess, Marie, Diogo, and even Will becoming more and more unnerved by the minute. Only Matt and Frank remained stoic and stone-faced throughout the tour, the latter even more so than the former due to his prior experience. This couldn't be more fittingly displayed when they stumbled upon a wall of traditional firearms and sex toys of all kinds, the group's reactions ranging from horrified to disgusted and sometimes rolled into one. The war-hardened Rock Troll's expression remained the same...with a dash of anger visible.

 _"Quién... ¿Es Troll?"_ Diogo breathed out.

 _"I...I don't know,"_ Marie gulped in fear as Will held her tighter than before.

 _"From the looks of it,"_ Jess sighed, _"This Branch is nothing less of a sick, twisted, and demented son of a bitch with a severe superiority complex who gets a kick of abusing female Trolls. And if what that Prince Aaron said is true...Queen Barb had endure every single bit of it..."_

Back outside, a yellow-skinned Troll with blue eyes, red hair, and a navy blue janitor's uniform (complete with a solid blue cap) stumbled upon the front entrance of his boss's home wide open. His mouth morphed into a frown, his eyes narrowed into a glare, and his hands reached for a two-tone SIG-Sauer P226...

Meanwhile, the lead group was anxious upon seeing a close friend again, but under the _very_ wrong circumstances. His eyes widening, James held his right fist up to command stop in their tracks. Standing a few feet in front of him was a bluish grey-skinned Pop Troll with blue eyes, bluish-black hair, a lavender nose, a vest made of dark green leaves, dark brown shorts with patches, and a _very_ pissed-off scowl on his face.

_That's Branch all right..._

Beckoning his equally shocked group to follow him, James led them to follow Branch as he angrily stomped over to a mushroom pod with a purple, blue, and white color scheme. Taking cover behind a pile of bushes, the group watched in shock as he slammed the front door with enough force to presumably put a sizable dent into the wall.

"What the fuck is this?" They heard Branch dangerously growl, "Smidge, I know you have a thing for animals, but don't you have anything better to do?"

The group slowly advanced closer to the mushroom pod, noticing a muddy red-skinned Rock Troll with a bright red mohawk, pink-red eyes, and a white maternity dress highlighting her visbily pregnant stomach sitting on the couch.

_Queen Barb. It had to be..._

"Sh-She j-just wanted to l-learn a few st-stitches, that's all..." The Rock Queen fearfully babbled in an almost incoherent manner, "P-P-Please...don't be mad at her. It w-was just a f-few stitches..."

Suddenly, Branch violently backhanded the pregnant Rock Troll with such force that she was knocked off the couch, causing the group outside to flinch, another female inside scream in horror, and Queen Barb to cry out in pain and despair. Another Rock Troll with violet-grey skin and a black beanie obscuring his eyes had caught her in his arms as he stared with an equally angry fire in his eyes towards Branch, who screamed in the face of Barb, who whimpered and winced as his saliva hit her face.

"DID I GIVE MY WHORE PERMISSION TO SPEAK?!"

"You stay the hell away from her, you sick bastard!" The beanie-wearing Rock Troll shouted right back, "How can you hurt Barb like that? She's carrying your kids for fuck's sake!"

Another Rock Troll with grey-purple skin, black hair, and a distinct zebra-patterned headband who stomped out of the kitchen to intervene nodded angrily as he folded his arms, "The fucker thinks he's a big male, beatin' and hurtin' pregnant females and everyone else he's got power over. The truth is, he's just a sad pathetic little bitch throwin' a tantrum 'cause he ain't getting' what he wants."

As Lucy chuckled under her breath in admiration for that particular Rock Troll, Branch snapped his head around at his words, his expression one of murderous rage before strangely morphing into one of mocking disdain, with an oily smile to boot. "Perhaps. But I'm still legally well within my rights to discipline my mate as I still fit."

"The hell you are!" snarled a pink Pop Troll, who in an act of bravery that even surprised herself, slammed her body into Branch's chest, making the much larger and much heavier male stumble back far enough so she could place her body between him and her friends. "You will treat Barb and my other guests with basic common decency or I swear I'll fucking exile you from not only from Pop Village, but from my entire nation!"

_And...that must be Queen Poppy..._

Branch stared at her in slackjawed disbelief for a heartbeat before he began to hysterically laugh, "Oh Poppy, I'd really love to see you try! I don't think you get it, sweetheart. I'm the hero of this story. I'm the one risking my life everyday to keep my people safe from danger while you-"

"While she does what?"

Everybody looked up from their confrontation to find six more Trolls had entered the pod and aimed their guns at Branch, whose slackjawed disbelief returned with a vengeance, especially since he recognized two of six.

"J-James? Prince D?"

"That's Prince **_Darnell_** to you, traitor," Prince D stammered angrily as he focused his HK416 on him.

"It's nice to see you again after all these years, Branch," James affably nodded.

"Although we'd like to hear you continue," Amy condescendingly encouraged him to do so with her G36C at the ready, "What was that you said? _You're_ the hero of this story? _You're_ the one risking _your_ life everyday to keep _your_ people safe from danger? And what about Poppy?"

"Yeah, Branch," Lucy provoked Branch even further, despite knowing what insults he had up his sleeve for her, "What is Poppy to you?"

Sure enough, when Branch recognized Lucy's status as a Rock Troll, he smirked and leaned in close to her face.

"What Poppy is to me is none of your business, you Rock Troll scum."

To his surprise, Lucy chuckled right back before headbutting and punching him in quick succession with the same kind of force he used to kick down the front door and slap Barb. When he got right back up again to retaliate, she responded by firing three rounds into his right kneecap, prompting him to shout in pain as he clutched his wound before yelling as she stepped on said wound to get him to stay down.

Aiming the barrel of her rifle directly in Branch's face, Lucy growled dangerously in a similar fashion to him,

"What could've been an insult to any other Rock Troll was just a compliment to me. I couldn't care less about what you or the rest of this saccharine-sweet shithole have to say about us, but us Rock Trolls hold grudges that will last a lifetime and certainly much longer than the likes of you. Speaking of which, when we're done here, out of the two of you here... Queen Barb's gonna be the one walking away, and I'm gonna make sure of that."

" _We're_ gonna make sure of that," Amy's finger precariously rested on the trigger the same time as Prince D's.

"Not now, not here," James aimed his Remington 870 at his brother figure, "Ash... We need him alive."

Lucy didn't feel too comfortable with James revealing her childhood nickname out in the open, but she realized it was his way of keeping her real identity from being revealed. With no other choice, she reluctantly complied but continued to hold her M4A1 on Branch, who threatened to smirk in partial victory.

"If he blinks, I'm killing him."

"You can do it later. Hook, Delos, cuff him."

Frowning at their team leader giving them rather unflattering nicknames, Robert and Thomas nonetheless complied with James's orders and bound Branch's wrists together with a ziptie.

"What for? Why do you need me alive for?"

"Questioning," James responded, "Mom and Dad found about your actions and...they're not happy with you."

"H-His...parents are alive?" Queen Poppy whispered in disbelief as she tended to Queen Barb.

"Adoptive parents," Robert explained, "They're the ones who took Branch in after...his Grandma passed."

The survivalist Troll growled upon having his backstory and the reason he did what he did afterwards revealed.

"You're going to tell the truth to them, Branch."

Branch suddenly became aghast at the statement, "No! The hell I will, and you can't make me!"

Despite the situation, James merely shook his head and kept his calm demeanor down to a T, "You''ll tell them or somebody else will, Branch, and it won't be me."

An incredulous Branch was hoisted by Robert and Thomas, who kept their weapons on him.

"If I think I take pleasure in taking you in...you're wrong," James continued somberly, "I don't like this as much as you. I'm just doing my job."

"Which is?"

"Risking my life to protect my people...everyday."

Having his own words used against him, Branch wanted to get in James's face and prove him wrong.

_But how could I? He's my brother..._

"Have a good time in the slammer, you traitorous scumbag..."

_These two, on the other hand..._

Branch lowered his head and swiftly brought it up to Thomas's chin, sending him stumbling backward just as he kicked Robert away into the wall. He then broke out of his ziptie restraints before reaching for a hunting knife in his hair and immediately going for Lucy, who blocked the slashes and stabs before delivering rapid-fire punches to the face and kneeing him in the stomach. James aided her by reliving his brother of his weapon before elbowing him in the side and, by swiftly bringing up an open hand and striking with the palm heel, uppercutted him in the chin before she performed the same action but straight to the nose just as Prince D tripped him. Disoriented but willingly defiant, Branch was finally knocked out by a flying skillet to the face, sending him falling down once more.

The group turned toward the door to find a Country Troll standing in the door, his right arm outstretched.

"H-Hickory?" Poppy slowly stood up.

"Poppy," Hickory made his way over to Poppy, who returned the hug he was about to give her, "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. W-What are you doing here?"

"I was hired to protect you and..uh, take care of Branch there."

"Who?"

At that moment, a yellow-skinned Pop Troll with blue eyes and purple hair entered the scene, leaning against the door frame while heavily panting and catching her breath.

"Meadow?"

"Hey, Queen Poppy," Meadow breathed out before acknowledging the Rock Queen and her friends, "And Queen Barb and friends."

"Did you hire...?"

"Close," Meadow took a swig of plant water, "Cybil did."

"Cybil's here?"

"Cybil's elsewhere," Meadow shook her head, "She sent a few others to find other Bounty Hunters like Hickory that would take care of Branch like he said."

"You're a Bounty Hunter?" From head to toe, Amy scanned Hickory, who tipped his hat in acknowledgement.

"Part-time. I stopped for a while after...Queen Barb's World Tour."

"I was sent by Cybil to recruit him to what she described as a rescue mission for Queen Barb and her friends," Meadow explained as she took another swig of plant water, "I presumed that group of friends to include you, Queen Poppy."

"Perhaps we can help each other," Thomas proposed a deal of his own as he properly restrained Branch with Hickory's assistance. "We can help Queen Barb, Queen Poppy, and her friends here find a safe haven for all of them."

"They can stay with my family in Vibe City. After all, they've been there before," Prince D offered before Lucy shot down his suggestion with a head shake.

"If that's the case, Your Majesty, then Branch would immediately deduce yours as the first location and head there."

"We'll have to move her around if that's the case," James nodded.

"Move her?" Amy tilted her head, "From kingdom to kingdom? From ocean to ocean? From sea to sea? Something we don't wanna see?"

Everybody shot the Orchestral Pop Troll an assortment of different looks ranging from amused to bemused. Amy merely shrugged and gestured her head to Branch, who was slowly coming to before being knocked out by Hickory's skillet once again.

"We don't that much of a choice..." Robert concurred with James.

* * *

Matt's ears perked up as he glanced up from his task, clutching his Mossberg 500 Cruiser.

"Did you all hear that?"

"Uh, no..." Jess aimed her Mossberg 590 in every direction, "I'm sorry I don't have enhanced senses like you do."

"I actually hear it too..." Marie readied her Glock 17 as Will shielded her with his body and his HK416.

"We need to hide," Diogo held his Mossberg 500 Persuader.

"I agree," Frank readied his Heckler & Koch G36C as he pulled them away from the entrance, the platform of which was lowering down a lot quicker than they remembered.

Before they could properly hide, the same Troll from above opened fire on the group, managing a hit in Marie's stomach and knocking her down. To his great misfortune, Will (and by extension the group) saw red and advanced with his rifle, which he emptied into the seemingly smug Pop Troll, whose facial expression reverted that from cocky to horrified as he was riddled with bullets. Matt advanced next with his Glock 19, which he fired when the Pop Troll raised his two-tone SIG-Sauer P226 in a futile last act of defiance.

The group gazed at the wide-eyed corpse as a puddle of blood formed beneath him. Will turned his gaze away and tended to Marie, who walked towards them and pulled out the bullet. Exchanging confirming nods, he supported her as their eyes returned to the bloodied corpse.

"What the hell have we gotten ourselves into...?" Matt muttered.

"I have no idea..." Frank shook his head.

**Author's Note:**

> _1) **Chris Evans** as **James** : A Pop/Orchestral Pop Troll who is Branch's adoptive brother and the main protagonist of the series.  
> 2) **Scarlett Johansson** as **Lucy** : A Rock Troll who is James's love interest and possible wife.  
> 3) **Karen Gillan** as **Amy** : An Orchestral Pop Troll who is highly obsessed with a new thing called "social media" but can be dangerous when the occasion calls for it.  
> 4) **Jeremy Renner** as **Will** : An Alternative Rock Troll and the love interest of Marie.  
> 5) **Elizabeth Olsen** as **Maria / Marie** : A Pop Rock Troll and the love interest of Will.  
> 6) **Charlie Cox** as **Matt** : An Orchestral Pop Troll and the friendly rival of Frank.  
> 7) **Jon Bernthal** as **Frank** : A Garage Rock Troll and the friendly rival of Matt.  
> 8) **Chris Pratt** as **Josh** : A Country Troll and the father of Kat.  
> 9) **Gemma Chan** as **Tessa** : A K-Pop Troll.  
> 10) **Natalie Portman** as **Lena** : An Orchestral Pop Troll.  
> 11) **Gabriel Luna** as **Diogo** : A Latin Troll who is the cousin of King Lucas and Princess Dulce.  
> 12) **Carrie Coon** as **Rachel** : An Orchestral Pop Troll.  
> 13) **Oscar Isaac** as **Lucas** : The King of the Latin Trolls and Diogo's cousin.  
> 14) **Rosario Dawson** as **Dulce** : The Princess of the Latin Trolls and Diogo's cousin.  
> 15) **Ben Barnes** as **Thomas** : An Orchestral Pop Troll who considers himself to be Rock.  
> 16) **Riz Ahmed** as **Aaron Khan** : The Prince of the Middle Eastern Trolls.  
> 17) **Elodie Yung** as **Chanlina** : A mysterious Middle Eastern Troll who serves as a future ally.  
> 18) **Jay Ali** as **Ray Khan** : The brother of Prince Aaron, the husband of Jenny, and the father of Kamala.  
> 19) **Dilshad Vadsaria** as **Jenny Lahari** : The wife of Ray, the sister-in-law of Prince Aaron, and the mother of Kamala.  
> 20) **Iman Vellani** as **Kamala** : The daughter of Ray and Jenny as well as the niece of Prince Aaron who wishes for the six main Troll Kingdoms to find and achieve peace once more.  
> 21) **Dove Cameron** as **Ruby** : The daughter of Poppy and Branch in another timeline and the future ruler of TrollsTopia.  
> 22) **Chloe Bennet** as **Daisy** : The leader of the new K-Pop Trolls and Ruby's amicable ex-girlfriend.  
> 23) **Tom Holland** as **Luke** : The son of Riff and Kim-Petit and Ruby's current boyfriend.  
> 24) **Erin Moriarty** as **Annie Dawn** : The eldest daughter of Delta Dawn and Hickory.  
> 25) **Olivia Holt** as **Amber Dawn** : The middle daughter of Delta Dawn and Hickory.  
> 26) **Aubrey Joseph** as **Prince Curtis** : The son of Cooper and Satin, the nephew of Prince D and Chenille, the grandson of Queen Essence and King Quincy, the older cousin of Princess Ellie, and the boyfriend of Amber.  
> 27) **Emma Fuhrmann** as **Rose** : The daughter of Mandy Sparkledust and Aspen Heitz.  
> 28) **Jenna Ortega** as **Gemini** : The daughter of DJ Suki and King Trollex with heterochromia iridum.  
> 29) **Ripley Sobo** as **Juniper** : The daughter of Harper and Archer Pastry.  
> 30) **Tom Hiddleston** as **Robert** : An Orchestral Pop Troll who sees himself as half Classical and half Country.  
> _


End file.
